Yglesias
I look forward to people explaining that highway travel may work in Europe, but that the United States isn't populated nearly densely enough to make it viable as a mode of transportation.....
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[This is another in what we hope will be a large series of expert blogs on TOD highlighting work and research that experts are doing in the field. Today's post is by David Dixon FAIA, principal-in-charge

Transportation economist Gary Barnes discusses the problems faced when planners and policymakers attempt to address traffic congrestion by moving more trips to transit. His November 14, 2003, paper, "Using Land Use Policy to Address Congestion: The Importance of Destination in Determining Transit Share," argues that to effectively move those vehicle trips to transit policymakers must focus on increasing the size of downtowns, and on developing downtown-like centers in suburban locations. But unlike most research and policy discussion on this topic, Barnes does not advocate focusing on housing density around transit centers as the first goal.

"The conclusion of this paper," Barnes writers, "is that the development and expansion of very large, high-density job centers is the best tool available for most cities to achieve substantial increases in transit use."

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. This is a tale of two cities and transit-oriented development.

"When the Leander transit-oriented development was designed in 2005, the city created an award-winning TOD Smart Code to help guide development in the area. But nearly five years later, nothing has been built in the TOD, and some wonder if the code is as smart for landowners as city officials thought it would be."

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The Half-Mile Circles blog is a place to share information about recent research, innovations and other issues related to TOD and livable communities. We also invite experts to talk about their work. Combined with Jeff Wood's The Other Side of the Tracks, the Half-Mile Circles blog is an opportunity for a daily dose of TOD, and allows you to weigh in with your own opinions. Usual blog rules apply; please keep the comment threads civil. To submit an expert article, contact Jeff Wood